I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to automotive navigation systems and, more particularly, to both a method and apparatus for displaying waypoint information on the screen of the navigation system.
II. Description of Related Art
Automotive navigation systems have become increasingly prevalent in automotive vehicles. Such navigation systems typically include a display screen mounted in the vehicle in a position visible to the driver. Conventionally, such automotive navigation systems display a roadmap on the screen and, by using GPS to determine the location of the vehicle, also display the relative location of the vehicle on the screen.
Modern navigation systems also typically include means for indicating a desired destination point relative to the current location of the vehicle. Typically, the destination for the vehicle is inputted using a touch screen on the navigation system. Once the destination has been entered by the user, the navigation system determines the preferred route from the current location of the vehicle and to the destination point. That preferred route is then displayed on the screen of the navigation system.
These previously known navigation systems have performed satisfactorily for displaying route information from the current location of the vehicle and to the desired destination. However, in many cases it would be desirable to display waypoint information along the route. Such waypoint information could include, for example, the location of restaurants, motels and other commonly used travel facilities along the route.
While there have been previously known navigation systems capable of displaying the location of waypoint information along the route, these previously known systems have been unable to correlate the desired waypoint along the route with the time to reach that waypoint. Furthermore, the actual time that a waypoint may be reached along a route will vary as a function of the traffic flow conditions.
It is also advantageous for a navigation system to interactively receive waypoint information in the form of advertising from waypoint content providers. Such advertising would be mutually beneficial to both the advertising provider as well as the vehicle occupants.